To shift sustainable development to a new level, design professionals are turning to biomimicry, a way to understand and apply a particular location’s “genius of place” to designing buildings and communities. Find out how architectural-engineering firm HOK and the Montana-based Biomimicry Guild are using bio-inspired design adaptations in two new communities in a deciduous forest in India.
Growing consumer awareness of green building benefits is increasing demand for sustainable features—a trend that got a boost when California set zero-energy guidelines for new residential and commercial development of 2020 and 2030, respectively. Read how builders are offering new homes that produce as much energy as they use, at price points comparable to those for traditionally built homes.
The real estate bust left the nation’s urban landscape littered with deteriorating, unfinished projects. After sitting untouched, some failed projects are finally getting a second chance as banks begin offering them to investors at steep discounts to clear their books and replenish capital reserves. Read about important considerations for undertaking these projects and about some of the success stories.
